Choose your own adventure. These five 10-day routes cover golden beaches, alpine summits, flowing singletrack, the famous must-sees and the South Island's wildest gravel back roads. Every night ends at a camp from our South Island camp map.
Golden sand, seal colonies, blowholes and whales – the Top of the South coastline in one loop from our Nelson base.
Pick up in Nelson, cruise the Coastal Highway past Rabbit Island and Māpua Wharf, swim at golden Kaiteriteri and settle in at Mārahau, the gateway to Abel Tasman.
Take a morning water taxi to Anchorage and walk the Coast Track back to Mārahau (12.4 km, 4 hrs) – or swap it for a guided sea-kayak day.
Climb Takaka Hill to Golden Bay, visit the crystal-clear Te Waikoropupū Springs, then wind out via Pōhara and Wainui Falls on the (partly gravel) road to Tōtaranui beach.
Head to the very top of the South Island: Farewell Spit eco tour, Cape Farewell lookout and the wild dunes, arches and seal pups of Wharariki Beach at sunset.
Big driving day south through the Motueka Valley and Buller Gorge (NZ's longest swingbridge) to the wild West Coast and the seal colony at Cape Foulwind.
One of NZ's best coastal drives (the Great Coast Road) to Punakaiki. Time the Pancake Rocks for high tide, then walk the Truman Track and paddle the Pororari River.
Cut across the Southern Alps via historic Reefton and the beech forests of Lewis Pass to soak in Hanmer's thermal pools.
Take the Inland Road to Kaikōura where the mountains meet the sea. Whale Watch cruise, then the Kaikōura Peninsula Walkway past the seal colony.
Seal pups at Ōhau Point, crayfish at Kēkerengū, a Marlborough winery lunch, then the twisting Queen Charlotte Drive to a sheltered Sounds campsite.
Green-lipped mussels in Havelock, a river swim at Pelorus Bridge (the Hobbit barrel scene), and back over the Rai Saddle to drop off in Nelson.
Alpine summits, glacier valleys and a Great Walk taster – Christchurch to Queenstown on foot and by 4WD.
Over Porters Pass to the giant limestone boulders of Kura Tāwhiti/Castle Hill, then into Arthur's Pass village for the Devils Punchbowl Falls walk.
Arthur's Pass' classic: steep climb up Avalanche Peak (1,833 m) with views to Mt Rolleston – watch for kea. 6–8 hrs return, experienced trampers only, fine weather only.
Descend the Otira Viaduct to the West Coast, see the milky-turquoise Hokitika Gorge, then head down SH6 to Franz Josef.
Hike the swingbridge-laced Roberts Point Track (5 hrs return) to a lookout over the Franz Josef Glacier, then head to Fox and walk Lake Matheson for mirror views of Aoraki at dusk.
Rainforest-meets-ocean at Ship Creek, then over Haast Pass with stops at Thunder Creek Falls and the crystal-clear Blue Pools.
Drive the scenic (gravel, fords) West Matukituki road to Raspberry Creek and hike up to the hanging Rob Roy Glacier (3–4 hrs return).
Dawn summit of Roys Peak (or Isthmus Peak during the Roys lambing closure), then drive the Lindis Pass to Aoraki/Mount Cook village.
NZ's favourite short walk up the Hooker Valley to the iceberg lake below Aoraki (3 hrs return), plus the '2,200 steps' to Sealy Tarns for the big view. Fit hikers can continue to Mueller Hut (book via DOC).
Long transfer south via Cromwell's fruit stalls and Queenstown to Glenorchy at the head of Lake Wakatipu. Stretch your legs on the Lake Sylvan walk.
Finish with a Great Walk taster: Routeburn Shelter to Routeburn Falls Hut (4–5 hrs return) through red beech forest and the Routeburn Flats, then drop off in Queenstown.
Nelson flow trails, the Old Ghost Road, West Coast rainforest, Craigieburn tussock, Alps 2 Ocean and the Queenstown/Wānaka bike parks.
Pick up your bikes and ride straight from town: the Codgers MTB Park flow trails and the Coppermine Trail (Dun Mountain, a Great Ride) above Nelson.
Morning laps at the purpose-built Kaiteriteri MTB Park, then drive the Motueka Valley and Buller Gorge to Lyell, trailhead of the Old Ghost Road.
Ride the gold-rush benched trail from Lyell up to Lyell Saddle Hut and freewheel back (36 km return, Grade 4). Afternoon drive to Reefton.
Drive to Hokitika and ride the West Coast Wilderness Trail's most scenic section: the Kaniere Water Race and Lake Kaniere rainforest singletrack.
Over Arthur's Pass to the tussock and beech of Craigieburn – some of NZ's best natural singletrack (Craigieburn Valley, Edge Track, Dracophyllum Flat).
Morning ride at Craigieburn/Broken River, then the Inland Scenic Route to Lake Tekapo. Sunset spin on the Tekapo Regional Park trails.
Ride the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail along Lake Pukaki's shore (Aoraki views the whole way) to Twizel, then on to the alpine Lake Ōhau section.
Over the Lindis to Wānaka. Ride Sticky Forest (Plantation) right behind town, and the Deans Bank loop beside the Clutha River.
Choose Bike Glendhu (lakeside, year-round) or lift-served Cardrona Bike Park (summer), then over the Crown Range via Cardrona Hotel and Arrowtown to Queenstown.
Gondola-served laps at Skyline Queenstown Bike Park, or cruise the Queenstown Trail (Great Ride) to Arrowtown before dropping off.
Tekapo stars, Aoraki/Mt Cook, Wānaka, Queenstown thrills, Milford Sound, Dunedin's wildlife and Moeraki Boulders.
Cross the Canterbury Plains, grab a pie at Fairlie Bakehouse, then Lake Tekapo: Church of the Good Shepherd, hot pools and a stargazing tour in the Dark Sky Reserve.
Turquoise Lake Pukaki with Aoraki rising behind, then the Hooker Valley Track and Tasman Glacier lookout.
Drive the golden-tussock Lindis Pass to lakeside Wānaka. Puzzling World, #ThatWanakaTree and a lake swim.
NZ's highest sealed main road over the Crown Range, a drink at Cardrona Hotel, gold-rush Arrowtown, then the original bungy at Kawarau Bridge.
Skyline Gondola & Luge, a Shotover Jet ride and a TSS Earnslaw steamship cruise – or the drive to Glenorchy, NZ's most scenic lake road.
To Te Anau, then up the Milford Road via Eglinton Valley and the Mirror Lakes. Camp in the valley to beat the crowds to Milford tomorrow.
Through the Homer Tunnel to Milford Sound for an early cruise past Mitre Peak and Stirling Falls; back via The Chasm. Evening glowworm caves in Te Anau.
Cross Southland to Dunedin, the 'Edinburgh of the South': Dunedin Railway Station, Baldwin Street and Tunnel Beach.
Royal albatross at Taiaroa Head and Larnach Castle, then up the coast to the Moeraki Boulders and Ōamaru's blue penguins at dusk.
Explore Ōamaru's Victorian Precinct and Steampunk HQ, then cruise SH1 back to Christchurch to drop off.
Rainbow Road, Molesworth, Hakataramea Pass, Danseys Pass, the Bendigo goldfields and Mavora – the South Island's great public high-country back roads.
Fuel up in St Arnaud and head up the Wairau on the Rainbow Road – the 112 km high-country back road to Hanmer, crossing private Rainbow Station and Island Saddle (1,347 m). Pay the toll at the Old Accommodation House (about halfway). Camp at alpine Lake Tennyson.
Down Jacks Pass for a soak in Hanmer, then up the Clarence Valley onto the Acheron Road through Molesworth – NZ's largest farm. Historic Acheron Accommodation House, then camp at Molesworth Cob Cottage.
Out the north end of Molesworth down the remote Awatere Valley Road, then south down the Kaikōura Coast past the Ōhau Point seals.
Big transit day through North Canterbury foothills: the Inland Kaikōura Road, Waiau, Hawarden and Oxford to the braided Rakaia Gorge.
Gravel roads into the Hakatere Conservation Park – Ashburton Lakes and the Rangitata to Mt Sunday (Edoras in The Lord of the Rings). Camp at Lake Clearwater.
Pies in Fairlie, then the gravel Hakataramea Pass down to Kurow and Duntroon (Elephant Rocks) to the foot of Danseys Pass.
Climb the steep, winding gravel of Danseys Pass (935 m) to the 1862 Danseys Pass Coach Inn, through gold-rush Naseby and the Blue Lake at St Bathans, then across Central Otago to Bannockburn.
Morning on the Bendigo goldfields: take the public Bendigo Loop Road (steep gravel) up from SH8 to the stone ruins and walk-in mine shafts of Bendigo township (bring a torch) – go no further than the township car park, because Thomson Gorge Road beyond is a 4WD track. Then follow the Kawarau Gorge past the Goldfields Mining Centre, run down Lake Wakatipu to Kingston and finish on the public gravel Mavora Lakes Road. (This replaces the Nevis Road, a Central Otago back-country 4WD track that Wild Road Rentals vehicles are not covered on.)
Back out to Kingston and along Lake Wakatipu to Glenorchy, then the gravel road to Paradise and Kinloch.
Back along the lake road with a side trip up the gravel to Moke Lake for a lakeside loop walk, then drop off in Queenstown.
📞 020 4004 5515 · ✉️ bookings@wildroadrentals.co.nz · wildroadrentals.co.nz